, 1887-07-26
A TOURIST IN JupEA.
Tent Life In PaIestine-A Happy Exist
ancn When LII Dnasn,t Rain.

Tent Life In Pa1estine-A HAPPY Exist
ence When 1t Doesn't Rain.
Jenin is about three days ride from
Jerusalem. The first day takes one up
over Scopus, from whence is obtained
the best far off view of the Holy City,
past Gibeah, where David permitted the
murder of Saul's seven n past Ramah,
where Rachel mourned for her children;
past the bethel of Jacob and past the
somber rock country of Judea, a country
for the weird pencil of a Dore; to Sinjil,
where the first night is gladly spent after
such a days battling with the aggravat-
ing stony paths. A land flowing with
milk and honey Palestine may have been,
but as most tourists see barren Judea first
it would seem as if the milk must nave
become curdled and petrified into these
present, very present rocks. Honey, too;
and man thinks Indignantly of that imi-
tation stuff to which they are now re-
duced and which they ave the assurance
to proffer here in this supposed honeyed
land.
After this insult added to the already
potent injury of the tones and rocks,
tired mortal halls his tent with joy, halls
even those iron structures on which we
are spending a third of our time, and the
bedding of which is not SO hard as a pine
board, neither is it elder down by a long
shot. Yet you cling to that bedding with
strong desire as, at 5 or 6 in the morn
ing as may be, the dragoman comes to
call you. Coffee is served in a half hour,
the men are already beginning the I'M
cording of your tent, so you must arise
whether or no. In another half Jour all
are supposed to be ready to mount and
be off, thus taking advantage of the cool
and delicious early day. A rest of a
couple of hours is made for luncheon
(Which has been brought on donkey
back, and, for a lounge for you, and, if
the rood may be applied, for the horses
also. Arriving at the days journeys
end, one is highly gratified to find every
thing set up as marvelously as it dlsap-
peared while taking his morning coffee.
Dinner is served at half past 6 and the
evening is passed in conversation, cards,
or in writing up journal, for early to rise
means early to bed. Some one has said
that this combination means healthy,
wealthy and wise, but I don't believe it
except for Palestine.
For ten life is a happy one-when it
doesn't rain. Even if it do, your canvas
house is, it is to be hoped, of double
thickness and well corded down by Arabs
who have been doing just that same
thing all their lives. Against dampness,
sometimes a board flooring is laid, but
large rugs are always spread upon which
the bed and washstand are always set up,
and which makes a pretty harmony with
the inner canvas covering which has been
gayly adorned in u sort of Oriental patch
work, the effort of Cairene art ideas, and
presents an inviting appearance-cool by
day and warm by night-something like
the lrishman's whisky, cold in summer
and hot in winter. With your chair in
the doorway, or reclining by the adjust
able window, you settle down to Baede-
ker or Stanley or Hepworth Dixon, feel
ing quite sure that the tent arrangement
is the most sensible mode of living yet
invented-for Palestine. Particularly is
this true if, at this juncture, Hassan
makes his appearance with a cup of tea,
which he always has ready OF your com
ing into camp.-Palestine Cor. Cleveland
Leader.